Martyr's Memorial A-Division League

This article is about the top division in men's Nepalese football. For top tier in Nepalese women's football, see National Women's League (Nepal).

Martyr's Memorial A-Division League (Nepali: शहीद स्मारक ए- डिभिजन लिग; formerly known as the Kathmandu League Championship) also known as the Qatar Airways Martyr's Memorial A-Division League for sponsorship reasons, is a professional football league in Nepal and the highest level of the Nepalese football league system.

Martyr's Memorial A-Division League

Organising body	ANFA
Founded	1954; 71 years ago (1954)
Country	Nepal
Confederation	AFC
Number of clubs	14
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	Martyr's Memorial B-Division League
International cup(s)	AFC Challenge League SAFF Club Championship
Current champions	Church Boys United (1st title) (2023)
Most championships	Manang Marsyangdi (8 titles)
Top goalscorer	Santosh Sahukhala (104 goals)
Broadcaster(s)	Space 4K Television (YouTube)
Website	www.the-anfa.com
Current: 2025–26 A Division League

Administered and organized by All Nepal Football Association, it is contested by 14 teams, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Martyr's Memorial B-Division League. The season usually runs from November to March with each team playing every other team twice.

A new Nepal National League was created in 2011 to give a chance to compete at A level tournaments to the clubs outside Kathmandu valley. There were 9 clubs competing in the National League, 5 of which are teams of Martyr's Memorial A-Division League.^[1][2]

Champion of the league for the season is granted qualification into the Asian continental club competition, the AFC Challenge League.

Clubs

The following 14 teams with two teams promoted from the B-Division,^[3] will compete in the next iteration of Martyr's Memorial A-Division League.

Current clubs
Team	City	Province	Founded	Previous Season
APF FC	Kathmandu (Halchowk)	Bagmati	2001	12th
Church Boys United	Lalitpur (Balkumari)	Bagmati	2009	1st
Friends Club	Lalitpur (Kupondole)	Bagmati	1972	11th
Himalayan Sherpa Club	Kathmandu (Hattigauda)	Bagmati	2006	10th
Jawalakhel YC	Lalitpur (Jawalakhel)	Bagmati	1972	4th
Machhindra F.C.	Kathmandu (Jana Bahal)	Bagmati	1973	2nd
Manang Marshyangdi Club	Pokhara	Gandaki	1982	8th
Nepal Army F.C.	Kathmandu (Bhadrakali)	Bagmati	1951	7th
Nepal Police F.C.	Kathmandu (Maharajgunj)	Bagmati	1952	3rd
New Road Team	Kathmandu (New Road)	Bagmati	1934	6th
Planning Boyz United	Budhanilkantha (Kapan)	Bagmati	2012	1st (B-Division) 2025
Sankata F.C.	Kathmandu (Te Bahal)	Bagmati	1950	9th
Satdobato Youth Club	Lalitpur (Satdobato)	Bagmati	1998	5th
Shree Bhagwati Club	Tokha	Bagmati	1990	2nd (B-Division) 2025

Champions

Since the start of the league, 17 clubs have won the title in 45 tournaments. Manang Marshyangdi Club have the most (8 titles) under their belt. Church Boys United are the current champions.^[4]

S.N.	Season	B.S.	Winner	Top scorer
1	1954–55	2011	Mahabir Club
2	1955–56	2012	Police Force
3	1956–57	2013	Police Force (2)
4	1957–58	2014	Army XI
1958–60		2015–16	League not held
5	1960–61	2017	New Road Team
6	1962–63	2019	New Road Team (2)
7	1963–64	2020	Bidya Byama
1964–66		2021–22	League not held
8	1966–67	2023	Mahabir Club (2)
9	1967–68	2024	Friends Union
10	1968–69	2025	Deurali Club
11	1969–70	2026	Mahabir Club (3)
12	1970–71	2027	Deurali Club (2)
13	1971–72	2028	Ranipokhari Corner Team
14	1972–73	2029	Ranipokhari Corner Team (2)
15	1973–74	2030	Ranipokhari Corner Team (3)
16	1975	2032	Boys Union Club
17	1976	2033	Sunakhari Athletic Club
18	1977	2034	Annapurna Club
19	1978	2035	New Road Team (3)
20	1979	2036	Ranipokhari Corner Team (4)
21	1980	2037	Sankata Boys Club
22	1981–82	2038	Ranipokhari Corner Team (5)
23	1982	2039	Annapurna Club (2)
24	1983	2040	Sankata Boys Club (2)
25	1984	2041	Ranipokhari Corner Team (6)
26	1985	2042	Sankata Boys Club (3)
27	1986	2042–43	Manang Marsyangdi Club
28	1987	2043–44	Manang Marsyangdi Club (2)
1988		2045	League not held
29	1989	2046	Manang Marsyangdi Club (3)
1990–1994		2047–51	League not held
30	1995	2052	New Road Team (4)
1996		2053	League not held
31	1997	2054	Three Star Club
32	1998	2055	Three Star Club (2)
1999		2056	League not held
33	2000	2057	Manang Marsyangdi Club (4)	Nirajan Rayamajhi (15 goals)
2001–02		2058–59	League not held
34	2003–04	2060	Manang Marsyangdi Club (5)	Surendra Tamang (15 goals)
35	2004	2061	Three Star Club (3)	Basanta Thapa (20 goals)
36	2005–06	2062	Manang Marsyangdi Club (6)	Junior Obagbemiro Rishi Rai (27 goals)
37	2006–07	2063	Mahendra Police Club (3)	Anil Gurung (31 goals)
2007–09		2064–66	League not held due to conflicts between ANFA and the clubs[5]
38	2010	2066–67	Nepal Police F.C. (4)	Santosh Sahukhala (19 goals)
39	2011	2068	Nepal Police F.C. (5)	Ju Manu Rai (21 goals)
2011–12		2068	Nepal National League was held instead
40	2012–13	2069	Three Star Club (4)	Santosh Sahukhala (17 goals)
41	2013–14	2070	Manang Marsyangdi Club (7)	Karna Limbu (11 goals)
2014–15		2071	Nepal National League was held instead
2015–18		2072–74	League not held due to aftermath of the 2015 Nepal earthquake
42	2018–19	2075	Manang Marsyangdi Club (8)	Afeez Olawale Oladipo Bharat Khawas Ranjit Dhimal (7 goals)
43	2019–20	2076	Machhindra Football Club	Aashish Lama (9 goals)
2020–21		2077	League not held due to COVID-19 pandemic
44	2021–22	2078	Machhindra Football Club (2)	Jomoul Francois[a] Messouke Oloumou (7 goals)
45	2023	2079	Church Boys United	Afeez Olawale Oladipo (23 goals)
2023–24		2080	League not held
2024–25		2081	League not held
46	2025–26	2082	TBD	TBD

Championships by team

Club	Winners	Winning Seasons
Manang Marshyangdi Club	8	1986, 1987, 1989, 2000, 2003, 2005–06, 2013–14, 2018–19
Ranipokhari Corner Team	6	1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1979, 1981–82, 1984
Nepal Police F.C.[b]	5	1955–56, 1956–57, 2006–07, 2010, 2011
New Road Team	4	1960–61, 1962–63, 1978, 1995
Three Star Club		1997, 1998, 2004, 2012–13
Mahabir Club	3	1954–55, 1966–67, 1969–70
Sankata Boys Club		1980, 1983, 1985
Annapurna Club	2	1977, 1982
Deurali Club		1968–69, 1970–71
Machhindra Football Club		2019–20, 2020–21
Nepal Army F.C.[c]	1	1957–58
Bidya Byama		1963–64
Boys Union Club		1975
Friends Union		1967–68
Sunakhari Athletic Club		1976
Church Boys United		2023

A-Division teams in Asia

Martyr's Memorial A-Division teams participated in the AFC President's Cup from its foundation in 2005 till its dissolution in 2014. Since 2015, the winners of the Martyr's Memorial A-Division League qualify for the AFC Cup. A-Division teams could also qualify for the Asian Club Championship before 2004.^{[citation needed]}

AFC Challenge League

See also: AFC Challenge League

Season	AFC Cup	Position
2024–25	Church Boys United	Preliminary Round
2025–26	TBD	TBD

AFC Cup

See also: AFC Cup

Season	AFC Cup	Position
2015	Manang Marshyangdi Club	DNP
2019	Manang Marshyangdi Club	4th in Group Stage
2021	Nepal Army F.C.	Preliminary round 2
2022	Machhindra F.C.	Preliminary round 1
2023–24[7]	Machhindra F.C.	Preliminary round 2

AFC President's Cup

See also: AFC President's Cup

Season	Team	Position
2005	Three Star Club	Semi-Final
2006	Manang Marshyangdi Club	3rd in Group Stage
2007	Mahendra Police Club	Runner-up
2008	Nepal Police F.C.	Semi-Final
2009	Nepal Police F.C.	4th in Group Stage
2010	New Road Team	3rd in Group Stage
2011	Nepal Police F.C.	4th in Group Stage
2013	Three Star Club	3rd in Final Stage
2014	Manang Marshyangdi Club	2nd in Final Stage

Asian Club Championship

See also: Asian Club Championship

Season	AFC Cup	Position
1985–86	New Road Team	5th in Qualifiers
1987	Manang Marshyangdi Club	4th in Qualifiers
1990–91	Ranipokhari Corner Team	3rd in Qualifiers
1996–97	New Road Team	First Round
1997–98	Mahendra Police Club	First Round
1998–99	Three Star Club	First Round

Notes

1. Despite Jomoul Francois and Messouke Oloumou both scoring 7 goals each, ANFA awarded the title of top goalscorer to Jamoul Francois, as he scored the goals in less time.^[6]
2. Formerly known as Mahendra Police Club. Championships for Police Force in 1955–56 and 1956–57 also included^{[citation needed]}
3. Championship for Army XI in 1957–58 also included

See also

• Nepal Super League
• Nepal National League